Display device support arm

Abstract

A display device support arm comprises: a securing component; a first support arm element pivotally attached to the securing component and coupling to an attachment means for receiving a coupling mechanism, incorporating a load indicator, at the lower end of a second support arm element. At the other end thereof is an attachment head and a display mounting head rotatably secured thereto. The mounting head includes a toothed arcuate surface to which there is pivotally mounted a trigger adapted to move one or more locking blocks out of biased engagement with the arcuate surface. Constant friction joints, a modified securing foot with tool holder, a tilt mechanism; a display rotation lock operably coupled to a display mounting interface; interchangeable rail assemblies; display mounting brackets for attachment to the rail assemblies; and methods of installing a support arm and setting a tilt mechanism are also defined.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A display device support arm of the type comprising:
 a securing component adapted to secure the arm to a stable surface; 
 a first support arm element attached to the securing component at the lower end and coupling to an attachment means at the other end thereof; and 
 a second support arm element having a coupling mechanism at a lower end for securing the second arm element to the attachment means associated with the first arm element and at the other end thereof having an attachment head; and 
 a display mounting head, the mounting head having a first part, rotatably secured to the attachment head of the second support arm element, and a second part pivotally moveable with respect to the first part and operably coupled to a display device or mount interface thereof, 
 in which the display mounting head defines a toothed arcuate surface on said first part against which correspondingly toothed blocks on said second part are brought into and out of engagement via a user actuated trigger release to controllably alter the pitch (tilt) of the second part of the head and any intermediate mount interface or display device mount interface and/or display device mounted thereon. 
 
     
     
       2. A display device support arm as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the securing component is selected from a post, a wall bracket, a table or workstation clamp; a wheeled caddie or a ground-engaging plate and in which the first support arm element is pivotally attached to the securing component. 
     
     
       3. A display device support arm as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the display mounting head comprises:
 on said first part, a pivot stud to engage a corresponding receiver in the attachment head of the second support arm element; 
 the toothed arcuate surface to which there is pivotally mounted a spring trigger adaptor of said trigger release to move one or more of said toothed locking blocks, on said second part, out of biased engagement with the arcuate surface; and 
 attached to said second part, a display rotation lock operably coupled to a display device or mount interface. 
 
     
     
       4. A display device support arm as claimed in  claim 3 , in which the display mounting head includes said display device mount interface adapted to engage a receiver formed within a rotational lock whereby when disengaged the lock facilitates rotation of the display device mount interface and any display device mounted thereon. 
     
     
       5. A display device support arm as claimed in  claim 3 , in which the display rotation lock additionally comprises an annular clamp having an over-lever actuated locking mechanism which in a locked position provides an inwardly directed radial force which acts on a peripheral surface of the display rotation lock and in an unlocked position allows the display device mount interface to rotate. 
     
     
       6. A display device support arm as claimed in  claim 3 , in which the pivot stud includes a control surface to prevent over-rotation of the tilt mechanism with respect to the corresponding receiver of the second support arm element. 
     
     
       7. A display device support arm as claimed in  claim 1 , in which a display device mount interface operably couples to a mount adaptor for a rail on which two or more display device mount interfaces are provided. 
     
     
       8. A display device support arm as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the first support arm element includes a channel within which power and data cables are retained and held in position by a removable cover having a plurality of index tabs adapted to engage corresponding receivers on the peripheral edges of the channel. 
     
     
       9. A display device support arm as claimed in  claim 8 , in which the tab receivers are spaced apart to allow the cover to be removed by sliding it upwardly in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the arm the length of one receiver, the distance being indicated for the user by visual representation on the lower edge of said first support arm element adjacent the channel and a corresponding reference mark on the cover. 
     
     
       10. A display device support arm as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the securing component for attaching the display device support arm onto a stable support surface, including a desk, workstation, wall or floor, the securing component comprising an upper body having a support surface engaging underside and
 a cylindrical tubular stud adapted to provide pivotal engagement with a correspondingly shaped receiver disposed at the lower end of a first support arm element and having an axially disposed aperture for receiving a fixing bolt having a threaded end length adapted to engage a clamp member which is drawn towards the underside of the upper body to fix the securing component to the stable surface. 
 
     
     
       11. A display device support arm as claimed in  claim 10 , in which the underside of the upper body is provided with a plurality of surface engaging pads to aid grip thereto and in which an anti-slip surface is provided on the clamp member in the region where it engages the stable surface. 
     
     
       12. A display device support arm as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the securing component includes a tool holder slidingly engaged within the body thereof. 
     
     
       13. A display device support arm as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the support arm includes a rail assembly comprising:
 a support arm mount adaptor; 
 a support rail secured to the support arm by the mount adaptor and having spaced apart parallel receiver slots along the length thereof; and 
 at least one display device mounting bracket having upper and lower, fixed position, slot engagement profiles, in which the support arm mount adaptor lockingly engages the display device mount interface of the display mounting head of a support arm without modification and ensures full positional functionality of the support arm. 
 
     
     
       14. A display device support arm as claimed in  claim 13 , in which the display device mounting bracket comprises:
 a first part having said slot engagement profiles for engaging the spaced apart receiver slots of the support rail and a locking nut to engage and release a second part which is pivotally attached to the first part adjacent the lower of said slot engagement profiles to facilitate pitch angle (tilt) adjustment of a display device attached to the mounting bracket via a third part which includes a display device mount interface and a stud element rotatably secured within a stud receiver of said second part. 
 
     
     
       15. A display device support arm as claimed in  claim 1 , which includes at least one constant friction joint comprising:
 a first body portion having a threaded aperture, a locking surface and a bearing surface; 
 a second body portion rotatably movable with respect to the first body portion and having an unthreaded aperture about which, on an interior peripheral land thereof, has a bearing surface corresponding to the bearing surface of the first body portion, and, on an exterior peripheral land thereof, has a first load bearing washer and a second spring washer; and 
 a shoulder bolt defining an inferior shoulder adapted to lock against the locking surface of the first body portion and a superior shoulder adapted to bear against the spring washer so as to transfer a constant force against the exterior peripheral land and thereby provide a constant rotational friction within the joint irrespective of component wear over product lifetime. 
 
     
     
       16. A method of installing a plurality of display device support arms of the type claimed in  claim 1 , the method including:
 mounting a securing component to a stable surface; 
 fixing a first support arm element to the securing component and mounting via a rotary joint a second support arm element thereto, the second support arm element having a coupling mechanism at one end thereof which includes a load biasing actuator; 
 pre-loading the load biasing actuator of the coupling mechanism to control the movement of the second support arm element under load; 
 noting the load setting on an indicator provided on the coupling mechanism; 
 mounting via a rotary joint a display mounting head having associated therewith a display device mount interface, the display mounting head further comprising a tilt mechanism having an arcuate surface and trigger-released locking blocks; 
 noting a selected tilt angle; 
 selecting one of a single display device having a VESA mount associated therewith for receiving the mount interface of the display mounting head or a support arm mount adaptor for locking a rail assembly having two or more display device mounting brackets attached thereto, each bracket having display device mount interfaces for engaging corresponding VESA mounts of respective display devices; 
 where a rail assembly is used, noting the tilt angles of the respective brackets; 
 securing the assembled support arm to the securing component; and 
 repeating the above actions for each display device support arm of the installation, utilising the established tilt angles and load settings. 
 
     
     
       17. A method of installing a plurality of display device support arms as claimed in  claim 16 , in which the first and second support arm elements are pre-assembled. 
     
     
       18. A method of adjusting the pitch angle (tilt) of a display device, the method comprising:
 providing a tilt mechanism within a display mounting head adapted to secure a display device on a display device support arm, the mechanism having a toothed arcuate surface and an axially disposed pivot, on which there is mounted for rotation therewith a display device mount interface and a spring trigger adapted to move one of at least two toothed locking blocks out of biased engagement with the toothed arcuate surface to facilitate said rotational movement, 
 operating the spring trigger to disengage the locking block from the toothed arcuate surface; 
 manually positioning the display device to the required pitch angle; and 
 releasing the spring trigger to re-engage one of the locking blocks with the arcuate toothed surface, 
 in which the toothed arcuate surface is centrally axially disposed along the pivot and each toothed block is angularly offset from the other so that, upon release of the trigger, one block only engages its corresponding part of the toothed arcuate surface.